| Author | Message | ||
     Edmsportster |
Hi everyone. I have 2 questions: 1) Are there any Buell riders here from the Alberta / BC areas...I have some questions about Buell performance in our climates. 2) I am deciding between the XB12S and the XB9SX....I currently ride a 1200 sportster and am wondering if the city cross will have enough power for what I am used to.... BTW this site has been a godsend of info for me and has definitely convinced me to trade in my sporty for a new Buell | ||
| Dagwood |
If it helps, I too traded in a Sporty for a Buell. I went with the City X and I can say there is simply no comparison. The City pulls like a train. The clunkiness of the Sporty was replaced with a much cleaner tranny in the Buell. I trust that my SX would dust ANY Sportster 883 or 1200. Just test ride one and you will agree, guaranteed. And no, I couldn't live in the cold...I'm from AZ. | ||
| Roadrage |
Have to agree with Dagwood, an XB9 blows away a 1200 sporty, more power, much less weight (I've ridden both). What are your climate questions? I'm in Calgary. | ||
| Edmsportster |
I am in Edmonton and ride 15000kms plus per year so as you know...it gets fricken cold here in the early and late parts of the season...how does the Buell perform in the cold? | ||
| Eor |
I'll concur with what the others are telling you.The wife has a 1200 Sporty and as torquey as it is, the Buell CityX is a significantly more powerful and responsive bike. I've never felt a need for the bigger engine, but I think I ride a bit more conservatively than some here. The cold?.... well...the CityX is capable of performing in colder weather than I am.  (Message edited by eor on July 21, 2005) | ||
| Metalstorm |
My Sporty "feels" like it has more torque than a 9 but it's simply an illusion. A 9 is much quicker & faster. It's just so smooth that you can't feel it like you do on a Sporty. Also, compared to a Sporty, pulling the clutch lever on a 9 is like pulling nothing but thin air. I have a 12Scg but sometimes (usually when I'm in town) I long for a 9. I hope to get a Firebolt someday and if I do it will certainly be a 9. You really need to test ride each & feel for yourself which is the preferred choice for you. | ||
| Hammer71 |
Dag hit it on the head.. I too traded a sporty for a 9.. no turning back and would do it again in a second.. Take a test ride and there will be no question. | ||
| Tomd |
Hi, I live in New England and I ride as long as there isn't ice on the roads. :-) My 12s is better in cold weather than my 1200 Sporty. With the DDFI I don't have to rejet for the colder temps. The difference between the 2 bikes is amazing. My Sporty is a '91, the first year of the 5 speeds. It feels about 20 feet long, twice as heavy and half as fast as the Buell. Don't get me wrong, I love my Sporty, 15 years ago it was one heck of a street fighter in it's Storz XR trim but that was 15 years ago and the XB is light years beyond it. Tom | ||
| Edmsportster |
Thanks for the great feedback guys, exactly why I joined this site...real people with real opinions. I have found a yellow '03 XB9S brand new at a dealer a few hours away from here they are asking 9,950CDN the XB12S at the shop here in Edmonton has a tag on it for 14,250CDN.....that is a big difference. I have yet to see the City X in person as I can't find a dealer in Western Canada with one in stock. Demo rides next weekend here in town so I am hoping to see one there.... | ||
| Pinball |
I started riding my XB9S in March ,and it was as cold as 4 c in the mornings and it ran great! I figure the 9 to be more my style here in the Okanagan with all the twisties and towns! | ||
| Justice |
I live on the west coast of BC. Haven't had any problems that I can relate to weather. In fact I haven't had any problems at all. I love my XB9R! I installed the race ecm, k&n, 12 airbox, and the drummer is on it's way. I can't wait!!! | ||
| Flick |
The 9S and CityX work just fine in cold weather, thankyou...I also live in Edmonton and own an '03 9S which I payed way too much money for (prices were about 2500.00 - 3000.00 more than current '05 prices!). I love my Buell (I am currently on holidays and writing this from the hotel in Canmore)...it has 31,000kms on the odometer and shows no signs of giving up the ghost, runs like a charm in all weather conditions (including rain, heat, cold to -7C...that's my limit for cold weather riding). It has taken part in a number of track days at Stratotech Park and performs flawlessly. I assume you are talking about Heritage Harley in Edmonton (?)...they were selling the '05 9S for around 12,300.00 (GST included) a month or two ago (and an '04 12S for 14,100.00), but I don't think they have much stock left (how come they don't bring more in, I ask...???). Never ridden a Sportster, but can't imagine one having the power characteristics of the Buell (?). Get a Buell...you will not regret it... | ||
| Opto |
Edm, the biggest and probably the only significant difference between the 9 and the 12 is that the 12 has more bottom end power, the 9's power doesn't come on strong till about 3500 rpm. In the twisties the bike doesn't matter, 9 or 12, they're pretty much equal, it really gets down to what sort of torque curve you like (and the 12 has a little more HP). Both bikes will flog a Sportster in acceleration and handling, but share the easy maintenance characteristics of the Sportster motor. A test ride of the 9 and 12 would be the best way to go. I used to have a Sporty too, still got a soft spot for it. Enjoy the test rides... | ||
| Cyko_bob |
Edm...not from Canada, but sure enjoy BC and Alberta. I have a 2003, yellow XB9S, and two Sportsters (a 2003 and a 2004). I say, if you can afford to keep them both, do it that way. I enjoy my 2004 especially, and it is more akin to the Buell than the 2003. It has the typical Harley sound (applies to both of the Sportys). Great for the days I simply want to putt around. However, when I feel nasty, I get a kick out of the wheelies and wild ride on the Buell. XB9...shorter stroke, more bangs per buck (more firings per RPM). XB12...longer stroke...more torque at lower RPM. I love my XB9 and outrunning my Harley friends who have engines twice my size. Keep the Sporty if you can...if not get the XB9S you mentioned. You will not regret, and just like the Sporty, you will make it your own with the changes you make. My suggestion is get the Buell race can for easy mounting and so you can keep the chin fairing...although there are still other great mufflers (Drummer and D&D) so it will at least sound a little like a Harley. I have the race can, and I think it sounds like a Sporty with big cams. You will enjoy not sounding like the crotch rockets. My best to you Kanuks! Cyko Bob | ||
| Rubberdown |
They are two completely different bikes for different styles of riding. I had an 04" 1200R Sporty and an 04' XB12S. The Sporty is a nice bike which I really enjoyed but felt the need to upgrade the suspension and ergos. The XB was great right out of the box. Ride them both as much as you can, then you'll be able to decide which is best for your style of riding. | ||
| Paulson |
When it gets cold here in Syracuse (30F and below), my throttle cable sticks. Just make sure you use a lube on it that keeps that from happening. The bike (XB9SL) loves ANY weather (hot or cold). | ||
| Reepicheep |
The handguards for the 9sx make a huge difference in the cold, and can be easily and cheaply added to any of the "S" bikes. You might want to wait until tomorrow and see what shows up for the new model year as well. Mutterings suggest factory heated grips as an option. The 9SX feels faster then my Cyclone did, and the Cyclone came from the factory like a sporty with about $5000 of screaming eagle parts on it. I joke that the screaming eagle catalog oughta just sell the "Sportster Stage 4 performance kit". You send in your sportster as the core exchange, with $2000, and you get back an XB9SX. The XB12S would be stage 5  . And this is not a slam, of all the Harleys, I like the sportys the best, and those proto-sportys from the mid to late 60's are about as pretty a bike as I have ever seen. I ride my 9sx back and forth to work (about 20 miles, back road highway) down to freezing without any electric gear reasonably comfortably, due mostly to the handgrips and just well done airflow over the frame / rider. The Cyclone was getting pretty miserable from maybe 45 degress F on down. | ||
| Edmsportster |
Flick..(and everyone else) thanks for the input...tomorrow is the big day....but from all the talk on here it doesn't sound like one of the new models will be for me...unless they bring out a 12 City cross lol...still waffling between the 9 and 12....guess its the testosterone saying "you can't go DOWN in cc's" LOL | ||
| Edmsportster |
Flick...how was the bike thru the mountains? Conicidentally the XB9S I was speaking of above is in the Canmore HD shop....wanna go take a peek for me lol | ||
| Roadrage |
I fully understand your dilemma in trying to choose between the much cheaper 9 and the newer 12. Calgary HD offered me a 2003 XB9R last year for $9500 GST included, Canmore should be able to match that, they got to be anxious to get rid of it by now. I ended up paying the extra for a 12 after test riding both. I agree with others that on twisty highway roads the bikes are comparable, the 9 even has an advantage sometimes with 10lb weight saving and a higher redline. But I love the extra pull you get from a stop that only extra cubic inches can give you. One warning about the 03 9 model, the drive belt is very weak. This was changed in 04. Factor in the cost of converting it to 04 specs at your first tire change or it may leave you stranded somewhere. This has happened to many people here. And as others have said, the engines on these bikes are more comfortable in the cold than most riders will be. I make a lot of trips to Edmonton, always happy to get together with a fellow Buell enthusiast (or soon to be Buell enthusiast). | ||
| Djkaplan |
Well, there's an old American adage, "There's no replacement for displacement". | ||
| Edmsportster |
I can't help but want the extra "ooomph" of the 12 but $4000 is a lot of dough. Roadrage...thx for the tip ..is there any other drawback of the '03 compared to the '05? the 9 is an '03 and the 12 is an '05 | ||
| Edmsportster |
Oops...the XB9 is in Cranbrook not Canmore sorry Flick... | ||
| Fullpower |
rode my XB a lot last october and some in february and march this year, some mornings on way to work temps were low 20's (F) bike runs just fine. heated grips help a lot. I wish i could build the XB to make horsepower like my sportster.... THAT would be a very fun ride. unfortunately the Electronics stand in the way of any real performance gains. All the airflow the XB heads are capable of is for naught if you cant feed it the fuel. still waiting for the REAL race ECM. please dont take this wrong, the XB12 is a sweet bike, and i wouldnt trade mine for anything, but if we could fuel a 52 mm throttle body to a real 7000 rpm we would have an easy 120 horsepower. my old fashioned 1998 sportster makes healthy sparks at 7000 rpm, breathes through abig toilet flushing S&S G (that is 2 and 1/16 inches) with a thunder jet, and will either wheelie or power slide with a twitch of the throttle in THIRD gear, depending on available traction. this is ancient technology, why cant this level of performance be obtained with modern electronics? |
